ABSTAINS Synonyms: 31 Similar and Opposite Words

abstains

verb

present tense third-person singular of abstain

as in refuses

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for abstains

Verb

But Buddy, the feature debut of Casper Kelly, lets the genre’s relentlessly upbeat tone slowly curdle in the opening sequence, in which one of the kids refuses to play along with day’s lesson about being brave and trying new things.

— Alison Willmore, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
With his final book, however, Morris refuses to draw conclusions, letting the ambiguity of Surrealists’ meanings stand.

— Kelly Presutti, ARTnews.com, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of refuses

Verb

When a human accepts, rejects or overrides the agent, the organization can reconstruct why—not from a comment field that made sense to the person who wrote it, but from a structured record that holds its meaning after they're gone.

— Krupesh Bhat, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Israel rejects this, viewing the area as disputed rather than occupied.

— Pesha Magid Reuters, Arkansas Online, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of rejects

Verb

The candidate who turns down your offer doesn’t necessarily go on to repeat what was heard.

— Jon Michail, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
Pairing a floral sundress with a pair of white sneakers turns down the volume on the feminine formality, making the classic piece a bit less fussy.

— Amber Rambharose, InStyle, 18 June 2026

Definition of turns down

Verb

If an employee hesitates or overcommits, avoid making assumptions or asking defensive questions.

— Julie Kratz, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Your vehicle hesitates when shifting gears A short pause or delay between pressing the gas and your car responding is an early sign of transmission trouble.

— Michael Kurko, USA Today, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of hesitates

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“Abstains.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abstains. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of abstains

verb

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